OSCE Project Co-ordinator holds seminar for judiciary on handling administrative disputes

KYIV, 7 September 2009 - A seminar organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCU) on the judicial review of administrative disputes started in Kyiv today.

The five-day event brings together judges of administrative courts of appeal to discuss recent cases related to the judicial review of administrative disputes. The practice of the Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine in handling such disputes and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights will also be presented.

"The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine aims to enhance the knowledge and capacity of administrative court judges in applying up-to-date methodology as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, and adopting consistent and well-motivated decisions. Training is a critical part of these efforts," said Lubomir Kopaj, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

The PCU has helped to train administrative court judges since 2005, following the country's adoption of the Code of Administrative Court Procedures. Additionally, the PCU monitors administrative court cases. Based on this, a new training curriculum focusing on recent trends in the development of administrative procedures, administrative law reform and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, was developed by a working group convened by the PCU.

The training course is held in partnership with the Ukrainian Academy of Judges, the Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine and the USAID Rule of Law project in Ukraine.